Your Garment of praise

Isaiah 61:2b-3 and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion, to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
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Luke 3:16-18 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them. 
 
ADVENT is a season to celebrate the Lord Jesus came to earth. it is also a time to anticipate and celebrate Christ’s promise to come again. In our previous lesson we included the first part of Isaiah 61:2. Now we add the second part in this lesson. Here is the full verse: Isaiah 61:2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn. In essence, Jesus divided the verse as he announced his ministry in Luke 4:18-19. Jesus stopped reading the scroll at “the Lord’s favor”. He did not read, “the day of vengeance of our God.”
   Jesus did so that day in Nazareth because he stated his immediate purpose. As he said elsewhere, “The Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost.” (Luke 19:10) This is God’s favor to reveal the possibility and reality of a redeemed life with God forever. After the world has had time to repent, Jesus will then come on the day of vengeance. His winnowing fork will cast the chaff into the unquenchable fire and gather the wheat into the barn.  
   God’s favor has revealed the gospel. Jesus’ first advent has drawn a precise line between righteousness and sin. We await his second coming to administer God’s justice to all.
   Many believe. And many do not. Despair is done. Believers are welcomed into the new Jerusalem. Beauty crowns their heads. Aromatic healing oils anoint their bodies. Praise covers their souls. Their worship is joy. Faith firmly marks God’s church when we stand in his righteous truth. The Lord has planted his church to be oaks of righteousness to display his splendor.  He will comfort all who mourn into the joy of his salvation.
   We thank God for the Son’s first advent. We thank God for the Son’s second advent. What joy you know when you trust in God’s favor to cover you with his garment of praise and splendor forever.
 
Prayer: Lord God, your favor is displayed in your very personal plan to save your own throughout the world. We anticipate with joy your coming to judge the world, so we may live eternally with you. Amen.